Half In, Half Out

Semifinal One featuring LSU, Cal, Arkansas and Stanford. LSU and Cal should advance is everyone does their normal, but Arkansas or Stanford could slip in with a serious mistake or two from either favorite. This semifinal occurred at a reasonable hour, and featured teams I actually really like and several athletes we've followed for a long time. It's all good vibes, and I want Sav and Sirena to have the best night ever.

Sav kills it. Sirena gets attacked by the beam monster but lives to tell the tale. It'll still be a fun story. These two are absolute gems and I am so proud of their careers and the people they've become.

We get a final(?) Chae floor party. It's sensational. 9.95 I think - I hope she takes a fifth year if she wants to.

Anyways.

It's LSU and Cal, as we all figured. Stanford put up a fight for a bit, but it wasn't enough in the end. Stanford and Arkansas are, and damn well should be, proud of how far they came this season.

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I wait until my bed time for Semifinal Two to start, fully expecting to be able to half watch it as Oklahoma coasts into the lead and Florida battles Utah and Alabama for #2.

Oklahoma started on vault and the first athlete immediately fell on her ass and her pride *cur Stick It montage*. Then two others nearly fell on their own respective behinds and Oklahoma ends the first rotation in last place, down over a point from the rest of the field.

I suspect this will be hung in OU's locker room sometime today:

Before the second rotation starts we get an Oklahoma vault error compilation, followed by an Oklahoma fluff piece. Yikes. I mean I guess there probably won't be any good time in this meet to show it. They just said their team is good under pressure situations in the fluff.....well...yeah, usually.

The beam monster eats Alabama's feet and they count 3 falls in rotation two. Jaedyn Rucker of Utah has a weird floor fluke but they don't count her score. Raena Worley does her final routine and we all cry when she cries.

Everything is normal, Oklahoma is in third, despite whatever the hell that first rotation was, and Florida and Utah can either do their normal and qualify to Saturday - or have a medium flop-fest on any event and fall behind Oklahoma. Sure. Okay.

This is when the broadcasting Gods smiled upon us all and gave us an even more poorly timed fluff. Oh yes. It's happy Alabama montage time!

Around this point Kino texted me “Is this the best day of my life?” Yes, bestie. I think so.

Throughout the rest of the meet, Utah and Florida have a couple small mistakes, but they end up finishing squarely on top.

Oklahoma counts a fall on beam and we get this gem from John:

*and thus begins the John hates Oklahoma and Alabama lore*

In the end, we land here:

Bryant wins the All Around - justice is served.

So on Saturday we'll crown a National Champion that isn't Oklahoma, which is of course devastating to the Sooners and their fans, but is also just objectively exciting and interesting. LSU, Cal, Utah and Florida all stand a real chance of winning this thing, in my opinion. All 198-capable, including with post-season neutral-site scoring.

Utah and Florida need to lock in and get rid of the mistakes that cost them those last few tenths on Thursday. The winners almost certainly won't count a fall, but I'd bet the winners won't HAVE a fall. Each of these teams has flinched under pressure at some point this season, and each has shown their depth and adaptability throughout the year.

My best guess? I mean. LSU had the most complete semifinals performance. I want Sav to get a Natty. Konnor has been such a star, Bryant is amazing, Kiya is doing great - it may be their year. Florida gives me anxiety, but a win for Morgan Hurd's team is always a win for my team. Cal would be such a fun win. Can they prove themselves under pressure this time around? And Utah can always smash it. I'm always surprised when they don't land in the Finals. They're just solid. Now, I will never root for Utah, but I admire how their coaching staff has handled this year's sudden transition - based on the gymnastics and things we see on camera - and will be fine with them winning if they are the best on the day. They can be the best of this group, and certainly might be on Saturday, and that athletic achievement can exist separate from all of the valid criticisms of individuals on their team/staff and their behavior towards their former teammate.

In the words of RuPaul, "I can't wait to see how this turns out."